Daniel Inouye

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, this amendment does not save any money. It does not reduce the deficit. It simply gives additional power to the President and thereby weakens the legislative branch. The reality is that without these earmarks, we find ourselves at the mercy of bureaucrats to ensure that our local needs are fulfilled. No one in this Chamber believes that a bureaucrat here in Washington knows better or understands the needs of their home State as well as they do. So I say again, Madam President, the voluntary moratorium is now 100 percent successful. It will continue in fiscal year 2013. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Toomey amendment.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, every so often, it is my honor as the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations to recognize the outstanding contributions of members of the Senate family. As anyone who has spent a few years in Washington will know, public service may not be the career of choice for those who hope to be appreciated in their own time. Benjamin Franklin recognized this back in 1772, when he wrote: We must not in the course of public life expect immediate approbation and immediate grateful acknowledgement of our services. But let us persevere through abuse and even injury. The internal satisfaction of a good conscience is always present, and time will do us justice in the minds of the people . . . Mr. President, through his 20 years of service in the U.S. Senate, Gary Reese is an exception to Mr. Franklin's rule. His charm, his expertise, and his professionalism have earned Gary the respect and appreciation of Senators, leaders in the executive branch, and his colleagues. Gary's service in the Senate began in 1987, when he joined the staff of Senator Bennett Johnston as a legislative assistant for military issues. In 6 years of service, Gary demonstrated a great ability to get results for the State of Louisiana and distinguished himself by developing a thorough understanding of the shipbuilding industry. Gary then moved to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 1993, where he developed expertise in some of the most technical and important aspects of our national security. The Committee on Appropriations was extremely fortunate to lure Gary away from that prestigious committee in January 1997. As a professional staff member on the Subcommittee on Defense, Gary excelled in oversight of acquisition programs in each of the military services, as well as classified matters. Gary departed the Senate in 2002, at which time his accomplishments were recognized by the Department of the Navy with the Meritorious Public Service Award and by the National Reconnaissance Office with the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service. After 5 years with General Electric, Gary once again answered the call to public service. He rejoined the Committee on Appropriations in 2007, where he has applied his skills to the most challenging intelligence issues that our country has faced in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. His vision and ingenuity have made substantial contributions to our policies and operations in those regions, for which I hope the full story may someday be told. Listing Gary Reese's accomplishments during his two decades of service to the U.S. Senate tells only a small part of his story. In an era of partisanship and divisiveness, Gary served both Democrats and Republicans with skill and dedication. I feel just as fortunate to have had Gary's assistance as my friend and former colleague, Ted Stevens, surely did. In a capital city filled with bluster and ego, Gary's charm, humor, and integrity built trusted relationships in many corners of the Congress, the executive branch, and industry. In a job where long hours and late nights can overwhelm even the most industrious public servant, Gary has never forgotten his dedication and commitment to his wife Ann, their son Bob, and their daughter Trish. Mr. President, on behalf of myself and all the staff of the Committee on Appropriations, I wish to offer Gary and his family my appreciation for his 20 years of service to the Senate, and I wish him all the best on his future endeavors.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a great American and a true military visionary who has humbly served our country for close to 40 years in the Navy Nurse Corps, both Active and Reserve components: RADM Karen A. Flaherty. A native of Winsted, CT, she joined the U.S. Navy as a Nurse Corps candidate in July 1973. Upon graduation from Skidmore College, she attended Officer Indoctrination School in Newport, RI, in August 1974. Admiral Flaherty's first assignment was Quantico Naval Hospital, where she served as a staff nurse and charge nurse of the Surgical Ward, Orthopedic Ward, and the Maximum Care Unit. Upon transfer to the Philadelphia Naval Medical Center in 1977, she assumed the duties as charge nurse for the General Surgery Unit and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic. Admiral Flaherty reported for duty as the officer programs officer for Naval Recruiting Command, Navy Recruiting District New Jersey in 1979. She transitioned to the Naval Reserve in 1982. Admiral Flaherty's subsequent reserve tours included assignments to numerous naval hospitals and fleet hospital commands. In her distinguished career she has served as commanding officer, Fleet Hospital, Fort Dix, executive officer, director of nursing services, officer-in-charge, and training officer. In February 1991, she was recalled to serve with Fleet Hospital 15, Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm. She served as commanding officer of the OPNAV 093 Reserve Unit prior to assuming Flag duties as the Deputy Commander Force Integration National Capital Area and the deputy chief for health care operations at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. In each assignment, she excelled and overcame every challenge and was rewarded with greater responsibility and opportunities. Admiral Flaherty has served at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the deputy surgeon general, deputy chief, wounded, ill, and injured, and the 22nd director of the Navy Nurse Corps. Her visionary leadership and executive management skills have played vital roles in forging new frontiers between the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and the private sector to improve care for sailors, marines, veterans, and their families. Admiral Flaherty received her master of science degree from the University of Pennsylvania and has held senior executive leadership positions at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE, and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. Admiral Flaherty's career has encompassed the full spectrum of public, private, academic, and military service. Focusing on quality, access, and reliability of wounded warrior care, she is the embodiment of joint, interagency, academic, public, and private collaboration. Through far-reaching vision, dedication, and inspired leadership she improved health care operations across Navy Medicine and built relationships between Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Health Systems. Her sustained performance reflects greatly on herself, the Department of Defense, and the United States of America. I extend my deepest appreciation on behalf of a grateful nation for her dedicated military service. Rear Admiral Flaherty, on the occasion of your retirement, I congratulate and thank you for your service.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, the omnibus bill the Senate considers this morning represents a victory for compromise, a victory for American taxpayers, and a victory for the appropriations process. The measure before us funds everything from our men and women in uniform to students who strive to improve their future through higher education, from environmental protection to protecting our children from harmful products, and from homeland security to the Securities and Exchange Commission. With the exception of the Department of Defense, all these agencies have been running on a continuing resolution for well over a year. Mr. President, this must stop because it is no way to run a government, particularly one that must learn to do more with less. How can an agency be more efficient when it is operating under budget plans that were developed 2 or even 3 years ago? Last year, the Congress enacted only one appropriations measure--the Defense bill. This year, we have passed a minibus containing three bills, and we are now considering the final package incorporating the nine remaining bills. While it is true we again fall short of regular order, it is also true, if the Senate passes this measure and the President signs it into law, we will have succeeded in enacting each of our bills prior to the end of the calendar year for the first time since 2009. I would note for my colleagues that in the Senate, the Appropriations Committee reported 11 bills, 9 of them with overwhelming bipartisan support, and by that I mean 30 to 0 or 29 to 1. We moved four of our bills across the Senate floor with an opportunity for every Senator to provide amendments. We accomplish all of this at a time when partisanship is high and the desire by some to delay even the most innocuous of bills has made it difficult to get any measure to the President. As chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss this portion of the bill. The Omnibus appropriations bill includes $633.3 billion for the Department of Defense. This amount includes a $20.8 billion reduction from the President's request for the base defense budget and a reduction of $2.5 billion from the overseas contingency operations request. Although these substantial reductions in the defense budget mean many tough decisions had to be made, I wish to assure my colleagues that all recommendations in the Defense bill were made in a fully bipartisan, bicameral manner. Most importantly, let me assure my colleagues this agreement takes care of our men and women in uniform and their families, fully supports military readiness, protects the forces, and maintains our technological edge. It complies with the earmark moratorium and contains no congressionally directed spending items. At the same time, it reins in defense spending and takes important steps to improve the Department's fiscal accountability. The conference agreement recommends 775 reductions to individual programs primarily due to program terminations or delays or changes to policies of programs since the submission of the budget 10 months ago. As the chairman of the full committee, I am proud of the work done on these nine bills by the Appropriations Committee, its members, and its staff, each of whom have worked diligently late into the night for many months to arrive to this point. All of the subcommittee chairmen and ranking members should be recognized for their leadership and achievement in completing these nine remaining bills. I also wish to recognize the dedicated staff on both sides of the aisle for their months of effort and their commitment to completing their individual bills. Mr. President, this is a strong, bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote yes and send it to the President for his signature. I yield the floor.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, this Omnibus appropriations bill represents a victory for compromise, a victory for American taxpayers, and a victory for bipartisanship. It is fiscally responsible and it provides the necessary guidance to our agencies so they will be able to fulfill their vital missions on behalf of the American people. It meets every requirement of the Budget Control Act and contains not a single earmark; 149 Democrats and 147 Republicans voted in favor of this bill yesterday. Clearly it is a strong bipartisan bill and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate LTG Patricia D. Horoho on becoming the U.S. Army's 43rd Surgeon General. This is a momentous time for military medicine, with two historic firsts for the U.S. Army and for the Department of Defense. On December 5, 2011, General Horoho became the first woman and the first nurse to assume command of the U.S. Army's Medical Command. Then, just 2 days later, she became the Army's 43rd Army Surgeon General, making history again by becoming the first woman and the first nurse in the Department of Defense to be sworn in as Surgeon General. Lieutenant General Horoho earned her bachelor of science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1982. She received her master of science degree as a clinical trauma nurse specialist from the University of Pittsburgh. Her military education includes graduating from the Army's Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, where she earned a second master of science degree in national resource strategy. Lieutenant General Horoho has earned numerous civilian and military awards and recognitions throughout her distinguished career. Her civilian accolades include recognition in 1993 as one of the top 100 nurses in the State of North Carolina. She was selected as the USO's Woman of the Year in 2009. Most recently, the University of North Carolina School of Nursing selected her as the Alumna of the Year on November 30, 2011. Some of Lieutenant General Horoho's previous military assignments include Deputy Surgeon General; Chief of the Army Nurse Corps; Commander of the Western Regional Medical Command in Fort Lewis, WA; Commander of the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA; Commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System in Washington, DC.; and Commander of the DeWitt Health Care Network in Fort Belvoir, VA. Lieutenant General Horoho brings extensive leadership, education, and experience to her new position as the 43rd Army Surgeon General. I applaud the many accomplishments which have brought her to the highest level of rank and responsibility in military medicine, and I wish her success as she begins her new position.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Pirate Fishing Elimination Act, a bill to implement the international Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated, IUU, Fishing as adopted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in November of 2009. The agreement is the first binding global instrument focused specifically on combating IUU, also known as pirate fishing, and the United States was a primary participant in its negotiation and was one of its first signatories. Pirate fishing is a global problem that threatens healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries both here and abroad. It is estimated that annual lost revenues from pirate fishing activities may be as much as $23 billion worldwide and that as much as 40 percent of the total catch for some fish stocks is caught illegally. The impacts of these activities are felt throughout the fishery supply chain, from the fisherman through the consumer, and affect food security and socio- economic stability in many parts of the world. This includes the United States where our own sustainable domestic fisheries may be undermined through unfair competition with illegally caught international product. The Pirate Fishing Elimination Act, and the underlying international agreement, would combat this threat by establishing an inspection regime that would raise global standards for access to seafood markets to levels similar to those that we set here in the U.S. It would also explicitly prohibit known pirate fishing vessels from entering our ports and from introducing their tainted goods to our healthy seafood supply chain. As the world's third largest seafood importer, our actions can make a real difference by dramatically increasing the risks and costs associated with pirate fishing. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this crucial legislation.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Pirate Fishing Elimination Act, a bill to implement the international Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated, IUU, Fishing as adopted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in November of 2009. The agreement is the first binding global instrument focused specifically on combating IUU, also known as pirate fishing, and the United States was a primary participant in its negotiation and was one of its first signatories. Pirate fishing is a global problem that threatens healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries both here and abroad. It is estimated that annual lost revenues from pirate fishing activities may be as much as $23 billion worldwide and that as much as 40 percent of the total catch for some fish stocks is caught illegally. The impacts of these activities are felt throughout the fishery supply chain, from the fisherman through the consumer, and affect food security and socio- economic stability in many parts of the world. This includes the United States where our own sustainable domestic fisheries may be undermined through unfair competition with illegally caught international product. The Pirate Fishing Elimination Act, and the underlying international agreement, would combat this threat by establishing an inspection regime that would raise global standards for access to seafood markets to levels similar to those that we set here in the U.S. It would also explicitly prohibit known pirate fishing vessels from entering our ports and from introducing their tainted goods to our healthy seafood supply chain. As the world's third largest seafood importer, our actions can make a real difference by dramatically increasing the risks and costs associated with pirate fishing. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this crucial legislation.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today is December 7, 2011. Seventy years ago, something happened in Pearl Harbor. I shall never forget that day because it was a Sunday, and, as were many Americans, I was preparing to go to church. I was putting on my necktie and having a good time listening to delightful Hawaiian music. Suddenly, at about this time-- 1:55 p.m. here--the disc jockey in charge of that program began screaming, yelling into the mike. He was saying: ``The Japanese are bombing Pearl Harbor!'' He kept on repeating that. For a moment, I thought it was a repeat or replay of Orson Welles, which my colleagues will recall was the program that was a mighty hit in the United States. The disc jockey kept on doing this for about 5 minutes--no music, just screaming--so I decided to take my father out on the street and look toward Pearl Harbor. We could see these black puffs, and then we knew what was happening. Suddenly, while watching these black puffs of explosions, we could hear a rumble just overhead, and there were three aircraft. They were pearl gray in color, and they had red dots on the wings. I knew what was happening, and I thought the world had just come to an end. Just about 2,400 American sailors and soldiers and noncombatants died that morning. I was a young man of 17 at that time, but I was also a volunteer medical aid man. We had a little aid station--a temporary one--set up by the elementary school called Lunalilo. So I rushed there to respond to the call of duty, and I stayed there for about a week taking care of the wounded and the dead, because we also maintained a morgue on the school premises. I became familiar with the cost of war--not the full cost, but I knew what was happening. The war was much more than just blood and guts. We have an extraordinary Constitution. We have an extraordinary set of laws. But throughout the history of mankind--not just the history of the United States but the history of mankind--war has always provided some justification for leaders to set aside these laws. For example, on just about Christmas Eve of 1941, about 3 weeks after December 7, the U.S. Government made a decision, and that decision was to provide a new designation for all Japanese residing in the United States. Citizens and noncitizens, such as my father, were given the new designation, which was 4-C. As the Presiding Officer knows, 1-A means you are physically fit, mentally alert, and you can put on a uniform; 4-F means something is wrong with you; and 4-C is the designation for an ``enemy alien.'' Just imagine that--an enemy alien. This was used as one of the justifications to round up over 120,000 Japanese, most of them Americans of Japanese ancestry, and place them into these internment camps. There were 10 of them throughout the United States in very desolate areas--Arkansas, Arizona, Utah, out in the deserts. Their crime was they were ``enemy aliens.'' None of them had committed any crime. Investigation after investigation disclosed that. No sabotage, no espionage, no assault--nothing. They were rounded up and placed into these camps, which were described by our government as concentration camps. Yes, it was unconstitutional, but our leaders felt the war was a justification to set aside the Constitution and set aside the laws. Well, many of us--especially the young ones--were very eager to demonstrate to our neighbors and to our government that we were loyal, that we wanted to do our part in this war, and, if necessary, put our lives on the line. We petitioned the government. Finally, after about a year of petitioning, President Roosevelt issued a statement saying: Americanism is not a matter of blood or color. Americanism is a matter of heart and soul. He said: OK, form a volunteer group. And that was done. We trained in Mississippi and we did our best. The 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were assigned to do our battles in Europe. We fought in Italy and France. We started off the war with about 6,000 men. At the end, over 12,000 had gone through the ranks. So you can imagine the casualty rates. We had about 10,000 Purple Hearts for all the wounds they received. We were told that these two units became the most decorated in the history of the United States. Yes, the bombing of Pearl Harbor 70 years ago began a period of my life when I became an adult and, I hope, a good American. It is something I will never forget. It changed my life forever. Something of interest at this moment: 20 years ago, when we decided to make it a national event--the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor--on that morning, the President was there. The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of War, the Secretaries of the Interior Department, State Department--all of the important people of the United States were in attendance. In preparation of this, we took a poll, about 6 months before December 7, and the poll was among high school seniors, well-educated young boys and girls. The question was a very simple one: What is the significance of December 7, 1941? Mr. President, I am sad to report to you that less than half could respond. Most of them thought it was a birthday of some President or some historic date of some nature, but they could not recall what it was. On this 70th anniversary, I wonder, if that poll were taken again, What would be the outcome? Well, I hope we will remember December 7. I hope we will remember 9/ 11. That was just a few years ago. But people are beginning to forget 9/11, as well as forgetting December 7. If December 7 is going to teach us anything, it should be that we must remain vigilant at all times--not just to avoid war but vigilant among ourselves so we would not use this as a justification to set aside our most honored document, the Constitution. I hope it will never happen again. Mr. President, I thank you very much for this opportunity. I yield the floor.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I thank my most distinguished friend from Arizona for his generous, warm, and friendly remarks. They mean a lot to me. I will never forget them. I thank the Senator very much.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, first I thank Chairman Barbara Mikulski for her valiant work in the conference. As we are all aware, the congressional budget process has faced unprecedented obstacles over the past year. We have struggled to find common ground on one of the most basic responsibilities of Congress-- funding the operations of the Federal Government. Earlier this year, we saw politically charged threats of government shutdowns, culminating with an irresponsible debt ceiling standoff that brought our economy to the brink of disaster. The American people are deeply frustrated that many in Congress put partisanship ahead of the national interest. Yet, despite these challenges, we now consider legislation that reflects the good-faith efforts and input of Members of both sides of the aisle in both the House and Senate. Given current fiscal and political realities, this is no small accomplishment. The conference report before us today includes three fiscal year 2012 appropriations measures: Agriculture; Commerce, Justice, Science; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. This legislation also includes a continuing resolution that funds government operations through December 16, giving Congress time to finish its work on the remaining funding bills. These bills are focused on a number of basic priorities: job creation, public safety, science, nutrition, housing, and transportation. Due to the stringent funding limits included in the Budget Control Act, which established a discretionary spending level that is $7 billion below last year's level, many items in these bills are not funded to the levels I would prefer. As we all await the outcome of the supercommittee, I again remind my colleagues that we cannot balance the Nation's books on the back of nondefense discretionary spending. Despite our reduced spending levels, I am pleased that we have been able to maintain investments in several critical areas. Public safety is a top priority of this bill. The conference report before us provides the resources necessary for the Food and Drug Administration to begin implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which will better protect the American people from foodborne illnesses. The funding levels provided in the conference agreement for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Agency; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Marshals Service will prevent layoffs and furloughs of Federal agents, enabling the agencies to continue their critical missions with regard to public safety. The funds provided will also allow for increased law enforcement on the Southwest border. I note that the bill maintains funding for COPS hiring grants, which were eliminated in the original House bill. The conference report before us funds an additional 11,000 new housing vouchers for homeless veterans. It includes $500 million for competitive TIGER surface transportation grants, as well as nearly $2 billion for new transit rail projects, and it maintains Federal support for Amtrak. This bill includes more than $12 billion for basic research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This research will plant the seeds for new discoveries that not only win Nobel Prizes, but also earn profits and create American jobs in our highly competitive global economy. The conference report before us represents thousands of compromises on issues large and small. It represents, in no small measure, the way the Congress of the United States is meant to function. The credit for this accomplishment rests with the members of the subcommittees and their staffs. I thank the leadership of the three subcommittees, Senators Kohl, Mikulski, Murray, Blunt, Hutchison, and Collins for their exceptional efforts in completing these three bills. We all recognize that we would not have been able to accomplish this task without the countless hours put in by the staff of the subcommittee. I want to take a moment--I think it is important--to recognize them for their efforts. I want to publicly thank Galen Fountain, Jessica Arden Frederick, Dianne Nellor, Bob Ross, Molly Barackman-Eder, Gabrielle Batkin, Jessica Berry, Jeremy Weirich, Jean Toal-Eisen, Molly O'Rourke, Alex Keenan, Meaghan McCarthy, Rachel Milberg, Dabney Hegg, Stacy McBride, Rachel Jones, James Christoferson, Allen Cutler, Goodloe Sutton, Courtney Stevens, Heideh Shahmoradi, Brooke Hayes Stringer, Carl Barrick, and Mike Clarke. They are the ones who should be receiving the medal this evening. This conference report is the culmination of a process that includes countless hours of hearings, markups, debate, negotiations, and posting online--and I underline this--all of the hearing testimony and legislative text for any citizen to review. Finally, it represents the one essential ingredient to a functioning democracy that has been in short supply in recent months: compromise. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this measure and send it to the President for his signature. I yield the floor.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. This motion to recommit purports to set discretionary spending at fiscal year 2011 levels for these three bills. But this motion is extremely misleading because increased mandatory spending included in the three bills--they are not touching that. Agriculture alone would see a $7 billion cut due to increases in mandatory programs. If we include the emergency disaster relief, it would force an additional cut of $3.2 billion. The measure before us is within our 302(b) allocation scored by the CBO and the Senate Budget Committee, and it meets every requirement of the Budget Control Act. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, as we continue to debate the three fiscal year 2012 appropriations bills, I want to take a moment to congratulate the managers of these individual measures, and to urge my colleagues to continue in the current bipartisan spirit as we seek to move additional bills in the coming weeks. Building on the progress we have made this week would make it less likely that we will be forced to resort to an omnibus or year-long continuing resolution down the road. The bills we are considering are both bipartisan and fiscally responsible. Senators Kohl and Blunt worked together to produce an Agriculture bill that is $2.2 billion below the President's request and $141 million below the fiscal year 2011 enacted level. Senator Mikulski and Senator Hutchison have managed a Commerce-Justice-Science bill that is $5 billion below the President's request and $631 million below the fiscal year 2012 enacted level. Senator Murray and Senator Collins have crafted a Transportation, Housing bill that is $677 million below the President's request and $117 million below last year's level. As noted by the leadership of the respective subcommittees, all three of these measures were approved by the full committee with overwhelming bipartisan support. These measures reflect the austere fiscal environment we face. They are consistent with the framework established by the Budget Control Act, which establishes a discretionary spending level that is $7 billion below last year's level. All of these bills present difficult choices. These bills are focused on a number of basic priorities: job creation, public safety, nutrition, housing, and transportation. Yet, despite the importance of these initiatives to the lives of every American, many worthy programs were either reduced or eliminated to meet our austere limits. Some have argued that our national debt demands even further cuts in these vital areas. However, every credible nonpartisan analysis has concluded that any real solution to our fiscal problems lies with reforming mandatory programs and raising additional revenues, not cutting investments in roads, bridges, and public safety any further. But to date, the entire focus on deficit reduction has been on discretionary spending. Those who advocate further cuts must look elsewhere, even if it is more politically painful to do so. It is my firm belief that another round of ill-advised cuts to discretionary spending will quite simply put our Nation's security and economic future at risk. In addition to the managers of these three bills, I thank the leaders on both sides of the aisle for their support in bringing these measures to the floor this week. As the House has not acted on the Commerce- Justice-Science or Transportation appropriations bills, the package we consider today is a creative bipartisan solution that enables all Senators an opportunity to offer amendments. As always, the closer we get to regular order, the better our final legislative product will be. It is important that the Senate have an opportunity to debate these three measures and to focus on the matters that are germane to the bill. When we complete action on this bill, there will be seven outstanding committee-reported Senate appropriations bills. It is my hope and my intention to move forward with additional appropriations measures when the Senate returns in November and demonstrate to the American people that Congress is able to complete its work in a responsible manner. Once again, I commend the chairmen and the ranking members and their staffs for their fine work on this measure. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to support the nomination of Mr. John Bryson to be the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce plays a key role in overseeing a department that is responsible for spurring innovation, supporting small business, and providing our Nation with operational scientific information. In tough economic times we need strong leadership in this key cabinet position in order to ensure that our Nation's needs in these areas are met. To that end, Mr. Bryson brings with him a strong record of business leadership and a sense of the importance of resource stewardship, a rare combination that I believe will serve him extremely well. Unfortunately, there are those who believe that his past association with certain environmental groups or his eminently sensible support for a solution to our reliance on fossil fuels, should disqualify him from this post. I would suggest that these naysayers consider that Mr. Bryson has been endorsed by the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The support shown by these groups ought to demonstrate the nominee's commitment to growing American business and the American economy. I also suggest we should not fear a nominee who has shown a willingness to explore novel solutions to grappling with our dependence on foreign oil and the larger issue of climate change. Both of these issues are likely to be among the most important and, potentially, the most disrupting problems that we leave to our children and grandchildren. No one in this Chamber will deny that we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which are a finite resource whether found here or abroad, and no one in this Chamber should deny that the climate is changing. To do so is to deny that which is in front of our eyes and history does not look kindly on those who ignore the obvious. We should therefore embrace those such as Mr. Bryson who have shown a willingness to work with the business community in seeking a solution to these issues. In sum, I believe Mr. Bryson can provide the leadership we need at the Department of Commerce and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting and confirming Mr. Bryson's nomination.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution recognizing May 16, 2012, as Hereditary Angioedema, HAE, Awareness Day. HAE is a rare and potentially life threatening genetic disease which impacts between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 50,000 Americans. HAE is characterized by severe swelling throughout the body, including the digestive tract and airways. The swelling caused by episodes of HAE is both very painful and can cause sufferers to asphyxiate when the swelling impacts the airways. To date there is only one Food and Drug Administration approved treatment for HAE, but this treatment is only effective in about a third of patients afflicted with this devastating disease. It is clearly evident that more research is needed to combat this terrible disease. On May 16, 2012, an international conference on HAE will be convened in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss issues relating to HAE research, treatments, and awareness. The American component of this conference will be spearheaded by the U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association, USHAEA, based in my home state of Hawaii. USHAEA is an organization that provides education, support, funding for research, and a voice to HAE patients, their families, healthcare providers and the general public at large. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution and help find a cure for HAE.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize my chief of staff, Dr. Patrick DeLeon, who has helped me to serve the people of Hawaii and our Nation for 38 years. Dr. DeLeon is retiring, but he leaves behind a legacy of work that has greatly improved the lives of many of our citizens in Hawaii, particularly the native Hawaiians, while advancing the professional circumstances of doctors, nurses, and psychologists. After joining my staff in August of 1973, Pat, a psychologist and attorney, directed my efforts to create and refine health and education policy. In the later years he would also serve as chief of staff for my Washington, DC, office. Pat helped to shepherd legislation related to native Hawaiians, immigrant children, the people of the Pacific, and higher education. Under his service the importance of nurses, psychologists, and other health professionals have been properly recognized. He has been very active in helping our community college system in Hawaii become full-fledged 4-year colleges. For example, he played a major role in the establishment of a school of pharmacy and a school of nursing at the University of Hawaii's Hilo campus. Pat also serves as a teacher, a mentor, and psychologist to my staff, a role that will be difficult to replace. I thank Pat for his decades of hard work, his service to the people of Hawaii and this Nation, and, most importantly, for his friendship.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 83, which was received from the House.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. INOUYE. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, this summer my wife and I spent some time visiting the forests in the Rocky Mountains and we were horrified at the rate of dead and dying trees throughout the region from the mountain pine beetle epidemic. Upon returning to the Senate and visiting with my colleagues, I learned that Montana has almost 5 million acres of trees impacted by this epidemic. Additionally, Wyoming has approximately 3\1/2\ million acres also impacted by this epidemic. These forests are in dire need and we must step up and empower the Forest Service to address this looming issue. The tactic of waiting for these trees to decompose while we solve our forest management battles does not work. While we wait, the timber infrastructure which can address this problem is also dying and those jobs will be lost forever. The cost of performing timber work in the future will become more and more cost prohibitive, consuming the Forest Service budget. We must step up and help our forest communities with this problem by providing the timber industry new tools and piloting different tactics to address these red and gray forests, all while balancing the needs of conservation. We must do this while restoring these lands and setting aside other lands for future generations. I believe Senator Tester's Forest Jobs and Recreation Act accomplishes this aim by designating 666,000 acres of wilderness for hunting, fishing, and hiking. This bill also puts another 375,000 acres into areas specifically for recreation so people can bike, ride, and snowmobile in more places. Additionally, this bill focuses on recovering our forests from the impacts of beetles and restoring these woods to prime habitat for fish, birds, and big game. All of this will create much-needed jobs, healthier forests, and more opportunities for outdoor recreation--and the economy it supports. Decisions on how to use and protect our natural resources are never simple or clear cut. They require commitment and fortitude. They force conversations and compromise. They make us stronger by overcoming differences and looking toward the future. That is something the U.S. Senate could reflect upon. Senator Tester's collaborative approach of listening to his constituents who came together and found solutions to the problems facing their communities is a positive example of people working together to achieve their common goals of bettering this landscape for future generations. We cannot wait. The dead and dying trees become more of a hazard each day and the ability of mills to make something from this decomposing product will not last. The more proactive we can be, the less this will cost us in the long run. Senator Tester's efforts and collaborative approach to address the beetle epidemic should be commended. This is why I am a cosponsor of S. 268, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, introduced by Senator Tester.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, the United States is considering H.R. 2608, a continuing resolution to ensure our vital Federal programs can continue in operation while the Congress completes action on our appropriations bills for this fiscal year. As all of my colleagues are aware, I do not welcome the reality that we once again need to approve of stopgap measures as we prepare to begin the next fiscal year, but, unfortunately, that is the position we are in now. The acrimonious and time-wasting debate on raising the debt ceiling has led us to this place. Put simply, we have no choice but to pass this short-term measure. I wish to point out, however, that unlike last year, we see this as a short-term need, not a long-term remedy, because even though there was neither an agreement on spending levels nor an allocation to the Appropriations Committee for discretionary spending until the August recess commenced, I am happy to inform my colleagues that the Senate Appropriations Committee has completed its work on 11 of the 12 bills required to fund our Federal agencies. In the past 3 weeks, the Appropriations Committee has met to review and favorably approve 10 bills for fiscal year 2012. Eight of those bills were reported out of committee in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, and by that I mean something like 29 to 1. The Senate has received five of these bills from the House. The Appropriations Committee is ready to take up any of these bills on the floor when time allows. In the interim, enacting a continuing resolution is essential before the Congress goes on recess. The bill passed by the House provides the bare-bones minimum required to ensure that government functions will be continued without interruption. It also includes a few critical legislative provisions to sustain vital programs which otherwise would be terminated. There were many more items which the administration and Members of this body would have wished to include, but the House did not agree to include them. The House CR also provides a limited amount of disaster funding, which has been addressed by others. I want to state for the record that I am particularly disturbed at the position of the House that fiscal year 2011 emergency disaster assistance would be offset by canceling the advanced technology vehicle program. It has long been a tradition of the Congress to approve disaster assistance without need for offset. Others will likely come to the Senate floor to challenge that remark. They will point out that in many, if not most, emergency supplementals the Congress has recommended using rescissions to offset the cost of the bill. They are correct, but as usual the details tell the true story. The Appropriations Committee annually reviews unobligated balances that remain in programs and those that are unnecessary are recommended for rescission or reapplication to other programs. However, in the case of disaster assistance, I challenge my colleagues to review all appropriations bills for the past decade and find a single instance where the committee paid for disasters by rescinding funds from other programs. No one would find an example because, quite simply, there are not any. Equally important, as noted above, year after year the Congress rescinds unobligated funds, but only when they are no longer needed. In the case of the remaining balances for the advanced technology vehicle programs, these funds are needed. Hardly a day goes by that someone does not come to the floor and note the need for job creation. Here is a program that is creating good jobs with a future. Investing in new technologies to make our Nation more competitive in the international marketplace is exactly the type of program where Federal Government intervention makes sense. The notion that our Republican colleagues in the House would propose rescinding $1.5 billion in funding from this program in the current economic climate borders on the nonsensical. Finally, I would note that today's balances in the disaster relief fund are now at $175 million. Our people are in need of assistance now. The Congress cannot wait any longer to address this need. All of my colleagues should come together in a bipartisan agreement to strip out the ATV offset, approve meaningful disaster assistance today, and return this bill to the House for reconsideration. I hope we have the good sense to resolve this matter. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, on the morning of September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people who would lose their lives in the most horrific attack on America since the bombing of Pearl Harbor began their day like it was any other. Many got dressed and headed for work. Others packed their bags and went to the airport. All would leave their loved ones that morning believing they would be home soon to continue the lives they worked so hard to create. Instead these innocents were murdered by terrorists at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Shanksville, PA. This despicable act forever changed our great nation and the world. Families were shattered, a war began, and the relative peace and security we enjoyed was ripped away. I recently toured the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan and although the rubble has been cleared and great structures are rising from the earth, there is a solemn air that permeates the place. Despite the bustling crews and the towering cranes stacking metal and shaping the new towers it is still the spot where husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers died in fiery fashion. Being there reminded me of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the formative years that followed. I was a boy of 17 when I heard the announcer shout over the radio that Japanese planes were attacking Pearl Harbor. I remember running outside with my father to see the bright red suns painted on the wings of the Zeroes as they raced toward their target amid black puffs of anti-aircraft fire. I knew at that moment that my country and my life would never be the same. Six decades later that moment came again when I watched passenger jets crash into the side of the World Trade Center. After Pearl Harbor I put on the uniform and went off to fight for this country as did thousands of my brave brothers from the Greatest Generation. Our nation was shocked into action by the events of December 7, 1941 and a generation of Americans fought and died to shape the new world that came after the bombs fell. America was awakened in similar fashion on the morning of September 11, 2001 and 10 years later we are still fighting and dying to create a future better than the one we lost that day. Today, next to the new towers at the World Trade Center site, is the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero. It is a magnificent structure. Two waterfall rimmed pools, situated in the original foot prints of the fallen towers, sit side by side. The names of the fallen are engraved in panels that form a railing around each pool. It is a fitting memorial for those who died but we must honor their memory by telling their story and educating the world about what happened on September 11, 2001. Yes, it was America that was attacked, but the world changed forever that day and this memorial and museum is much more than a collection of artifacts, it is a symbol of America reborn and a reminder that the world order is always changing. Today, I rise to introduce a bill that will allow the United States, through the Secretary of the Interior, to take ownership of the lands, the Memorial and the Museum, after the appropriate approvals are secured from the Governor of the State of New York, the Governor of the State of New Jersey, and the Mayor of New York City. The Department of the Interior will enter into a cooperative agreement with the Board of the non-profit National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, Inc., which may provide technical and financial assistance to the Memorial and Museum relating to its operations and maintenance. The legislation would authorize appropriations of $20 million in fiscal year 2013, the first full fiscal year after which the Museum is scheduled to open to the public, and in subsequent years. All funds appropriated must be matched by non-Federal sources, such as admission fees, gifts and fundraising, with the resulting Federal share being about 33 percent or less of the overall budget of the Memorial and Museum. It is our duty to help perpetuate this seminal moment in American history. Let us take responsibility for preserving our past and driving our future by honoring the fallen and their families with this lasting tribute. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.